RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIX, Issue 8589, 17 September 1904, Page 1

RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR

[l3r Eleotuio Tkleckai'u.—CorvjuoiiT.

(Per Press Association.) Received .September 16, at 10.42 p. 111. London, September 16. General Kuropatkin reports that a strung Japanese guard of infantry and cavalry ha.; advanoed Jive kilometres further north than Yentai station. General Oyama repoite-1 that 31C0 Kus sian dead weic left- 011 tlie Liuovaug batllelield. Pending r,n appeal regarding the Calcium, tho Times expresses a- hope that the Russian Government will withdraw tlie Vladivostoek Prize -Court from its uncompromising and untenable position, and <>ay.i the British Government- is bound to adhere to Mr Balfour's and Lord Lansdowue's recent announcement that Britain would not recognise any Court's decision vii.Jaii.ng the rules of international law. Owing to- General Kuropatkin's escape from Liaoyang Japanese bondti fell live points on» the- week. Tho Japanese piviss is much concerned and (surprised al the apparent change of English sentiment respecting the probable results -of the war. Tho Times declares that there are 110 particular signs of such a change in public feeling as the fears expressed at Tnkio indicate. The English people, as ,1 whole, were never more impressed with Japalle.se courage and resolution than since the historic battle of Liaoyang. Received September 16, at 10.54 p.m. London, September 16. A small British sailing vessel named the Lucia struck a mine- at Port Arthur, and only one of the crow was saved. She is supposed to have been a blockade runner. Received September 17, at 0.59 a.m. London, September 16. There is much speculation iiii Victoria, British Columbia, over the hurried return of tiic cruiser Grafton from Esquimau! t-. It is supposed to bo connected with the activity of tho Russian, commerce destroyers in tho Pacific. THE RUSSIAN CRUSADE. According to "Ivanuvieh" in the Contemporary Review, Russia has sedulously labored and is still laboring to impress tho people of that country with the idea- that the war with Japan is a religious crusade. "Nicholas 11.. when, he reviewed the troops before departing for the Ivist, publicly expressed confident hope of victory, Seraphim being for Russia. ICuropatkin, Makaroff, and Skrydlolf performed their devotions in state at Moscow, at- the Trirka monastery," which did not prevent Makarojf from being blown to atoms in- the explosion of the l'ctropavlovsk. "Kuropatkin took with him no fewer than 70 holyimasres, believed to have miraculous virtues. MakarofT had his baggage chests filled with others not less trustworthy," the fragments of which are now lying at the bottom of the sea, and travelling chapels are attached t.o the Trans-Siberian trains. Now this, "Ivanovieh" contends, is tho real Yellow peril which Russia is unconsciously preparing. "Is it not- Christ against Buddha?" lie asks. "Not- the Christ of Tolstoi, or .of Christiana heavily laden with affliction and longing for a world in which the crooked tilings now so puzzling to the human mind will be made straight- The Christ symbolised in tho Cos-sack-bornc standard is tlie Christ of tho Holy Synod, of the Imperial Court, of l'obicdonostzcil, -of the gaolers who hold politic-! 1 exiles in thoau iio infernos, the tundras of .Siberia and tlie island of Sayhalien. In short, it is tho Christ of Constant ine brought down to abnut the date of the 13th century. But- whatever effect tho crusade may have upon orthodox Greek Catholics in the Russian ranks—constituting a section only of the Russian army, which includes Reman Catholics, Protestants, Armenians, Mahometans, and .lews in its ranks—there appears to be very little doubt, as this writer remarks, that such a crusade will "stimulate every deep-rooteil instinct, mental and religious, of the yellow race, and spur them iuto' antagonism to the white race." And this war does r«t certainly need to be rendered additionally ferocious and murderous by the infusion into it of tho maddening element of religious fanaticism.